Crate



Patented July 5, 1927.

ijEsZ'EE D STATES JOHN F- A aER. .JR, 0 WQODCLIFZF, new JERSEY- CRATE.

Application filed. August 10, 1925. Serial No. 128,387.

This invention relates to crate structuresand especially to crate structures having slatted bottoms, and has particular reference to a device for supporting and maintaining a hanger and brace element for the slats of d crate bottoms which rigidly supports and maintains said slats in properly'correlated position to the crate body.

The invention furthermore aims to provide a hanger and brace elements of the character set forth, which is simple in itsconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, and which is highly eflicient in its purpose.

lVith the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which there is exhibited one example or em bodiment of the invention which is in no way'intended as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claimsas it is to be clearly understood that variations and modifications which properly fall within the scope of said claims may be resorted to when found expeclient.

in the drawings- Figure 1 is an end view of a crate equipped with a hanger and brace element constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the line indicated at 33 in Fig. 2; I

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken approximately on the line 4;4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the hangers and brace elements removed from the crate.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the crate includes end Walls 10, side walls 11 and bottom slats 12. The crate to which the invention is particularly adaptable is designed for the purpose of holding milk bottles but is not necessarily limited to this use. However, in crates of this type it is essential to obviate the necessity of mortising, recessing, or otherwise cutting into the end walls especially at the bottom edges, which tends to weaken the structure. In order, therefore, to rigidly support and maintain thebottom slats 12 in properly related position, the present invention comprehcnds a combined hanger and brace element which is preferably constructed of a length of wire which is bent upon itself to provide a substantially U shaped member having side arms13 joined at one end. by a bight 14;. Th6 side arms are offset inwardly at 14 for the major portion of their length and the juncture 1.5 of the offset portions with the remainder of the arms 13 defining shoulders parallelto the bight 14 and spaced therefrom a distance equal approximately to the thickness of the bottom slats 12 minus the diameter of the wire froinwhich the hangers are constructed. The bottom slats adjacent their ends are provided with transverse grooves 16 on their under faces so that the bights 14 are received in the grooves to dispose the same flush with the lower faces of he slats. The arms 13 immediately adjacent the bight and between the bight and shoulders 15, are disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the inwardly oifset portions 1 1. Adjacent the free ends the inwardly offset portions 14 are provided with extremities 17 disposed at an obtuse angle while the terminals 18 are bent at a right angleto the extremities 17 and are inserted through apertures 19 in the crate ends 10, the apertures communicating with recesses 20 in which washers 21 are placed after which the terminals 18 are upset or riveted. It will thus be seen that by disposing the arms 13 adjacent the bight and the extremities 17 at an obtuse angle with respect to the offset portions 14 the bight is disposed in spaced relation to the inside face of the end walls 10 so that the transverse groove 16 may be arranged a suflicient distance from the ends of the bottom slats to prevent weakening thereof.

It will be noted from the foregoing construction that the hangers or bottom slat supports in no way interfere with the subdivision or partitioning off of the crate, as the longitudinal partitions may extend between the offset portions 14*.

What is claimed is:

1. In a crate structure including a slatted bottom, means for supporting and maintaining the bottom slats in properly related position to the end walls without mortising, recessing, or otherwise cutting the end walls, comprising a hanger for each end of the slats, consisting of a U-shaped length of material having the bight portion embracing the slat end, and angularly disposed tree extremities extending through the crate ends and'locked in place, the slat-embracing portion being disposed at an angle to the remainder of the hanger, whereby to position the slat-embracing portion in spaced relation to the end of the slat.

2. A hanger for supporting and maintaining the slats of a slatted bottom crate in proper relation thereto without mortising, recessing, or otherwise cutting the end Walls of the crate, comprising a length of material bent upon itself to provide a substantially U-shaped element having a bight underlying the stat adjacent its end.side arms extending upwardly alongside the slat and inwardly offsetportions of said arms defining shoulders at the juncture therew th partially overlying the upper surface of the slat, the free extremities of the arms extending through the end wall of: the crate to lock the hanger in place, the portions of the arms between the bight and shoulders being disposed at an obtuse angle, whereby to space the bight from the end of the slat.

3. A hanger for supporting and maintaining the slats of a slatted bottom crate in proper relation thereto Without mortising,

'recessing, or otherwise cutting the end Walls of the crate, comprising a length of material bent upon itself to provide a substantially Ushaped element having a bight underlying the slat adjacent its end, side arms extending upwardly alongside the slats and inwardly offset portions of said arms defining shoulders at the juncture therewith partially overlying the upper surface of the slat, the free extremities of the arms extending through the end wall of the crate to lock the hanger in place, the portions of the arms between the bight and shoulders being disposed at an obtuse angle, whereby to space the bight from the end of the slats, the said slats being transversely grooved to dispose the bight in flush relation to the slats.

JOHN F. MAURER, JR. 

